When the 657 schools in Las Tunas open their doors on the approaching September 1st to begin the 2026-2027 school year, we will only be starting the intense journey that the upcoming academic year promises to be.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- This is not a foreign or difficult truth for anyone reading these lines, especially for those with children at home or who belong to the dedicated team of 19,000 workers who, scattered throughout the province, take on the enormous challenge of making education a reality, both in the classrooms and as part of the support staff.
In addition to the complex daily routines, there is the exodus of professionals from the sector, an issue that was particularly challenging last year and which means that, now, the teacher coverage at the start of this academic year is around 90 percent.
The machinery to ensure the essentials for the process to move forward smoothly is already in motion. As part of this, the province's main political and governmental authorities met with representatives from the education sector in all municipalities, as well as officials from other agencies with specific tasks in guaranteeing what is necessary for the course to succeed.
It was a frank meeting, without triumphalism or half-truths, in which they discussed the need for approximately 21,000 uniforms, the priority given to Special Education programs, differentiated attention for students considered vulnerable, and even the possibility of creating some kind of shoes for the approximately 800 students in Las Tunas who lack the necessities for attending school.
Osbel Lorenzo, first secretary of the PCC Provincial Committee, said that this will also be a “very tense” school year and called for a different approach than what has been done in the past.
Among the proposed initiatives was the “sponsorship” program; in other words, companies or organizations in the province can directly support some schools (especially in municipalities and rural areas) to make everyone's work easier.
In this regard, Nílser Piñeda, Master of Science and Provincial Director of Education, said that, at this stage, it is more important than ever for the connection between families, schools, and the community to be strong. The key to a successful outcome lies in responsibility and constant attention to every detail.
For her part, Ph.D. Yoenia Virgen Barbán, Rector of the University of Las Tunas (ULT), explained that the municipal university centers (CUMs) will be crucial during this academic year. She explained that they will handle the registration of students entering the regular daytime program this year so that they do not have to travel to the main campus under the current
circumstances.
The director also explained that she and her team will begin a tour of all municipalities to share concerns and identify potential issues with the students in each location, as well as their teachers and other key stakeholders for the success of the process.
Thus, this September will once again be a time of study and aspirations; a month that, despite the tremendous challenges of daily life, demands even more dedication from everyone to be successful.
